£67 billion... What we must pay to support the pensions of doctors who are on strike today

The staggering sum could pay the salaries of all
308,000 NHS nurses in England for seven years and is the equivalent of
£4,000 for every household in Britain.

While the
average private sector worker retires on less than £6,000 a year, many
doctors, who are going on strike today, can expect to retire on £68,000 a
year for life. Around 1.25 million people will be unable to get an
appointment and tens of thousands will have routine procedures cancelled
as GPs and hospital doctors refuse to treat all but the critically ill
in their first industrial action for almost 40 years.

The
one-day strike, organised by the British Medical Association, is about
changes that will force doctors to work until 68 and pay more for the
same pension package.

The average doctor in England earns £109,400 a year while 210 rake in at least £250,000, making them among the highest paid public sector workers in Britain.

Today’s action is an unjustified over- reaction to moderate and necessary reform

Robert Oxley, campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance

And yesterday Government figures revealed their bumper pension deals are being heavily subsidised by the taxpayer to the tune of nearly £67billion.

Robert Oxley, campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “The potential costs to every household of this scheme is simply staggering. The BMA has been quick to defend doctors’ generous pension pots as sustainable but conveniently ignore the huge liabilities to taxpayers that show they aren’t.

“Today’s action is an unjustified over- reaction to moderate and necessary reform. Extremely well-paid doctors shouldn’t expect ordinary families to disproportionately pick up the bill for their retirement.”

Addressing the NHS Confederation conference in Manchester yesterday, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley branded the action “pointless” and said it would cause huge damage to patient services.

He said: “We cannot prioritise doctors over every other public sector worker when they have one of the most generous pension schemes and will continue to do so. In seeking a more generous deal for doctors, the BMA are seeking a less fair deal for NHS staff overall. The strike is pointless. The BMA is creating uncertainty, discomfort and difficulty for patients, most of whom could only dream of getting a pension like theirs.”

But BMA chairman of council Dr Hamish Meldrum said: “The Secretary of State’s repeated and blatantly misleading comments about the dispute only set back what he purports to seek to achieve – a quick resolution.”

The cost of paying pensions to doctors for life is estimated to total £83billion, 80 per cent – nearly £67billion – of which is paid for by the taxpayer to meet the State’s obligations.

NHS doctors contribute less than £17billion and receive a return on their pension of £5 for every £1 they contribute.

In the 12 months to April, more than 100 doctors retired on pensions of between £78,000 and £111,000 a year that rise with inflation and are guaranteed for life. They also each received tax-free lump sums of at least £234,000.

To achieve the same, a private sector worker would need to save more than £3.5million.

About 79 per cent of BMA members were in favour of the walkout even though fewer than half the 40,000 GPs in England voted.

But yesterday, a survey of practices by GP magazine revealed that fewer than a quarter were planning on taking action. In a poll by Pulse magazine, 22 per cent said they were definitely taking part.

Dean Royles, director of the NHS Employers organisation, a part of the NHS Confederation, said: “It is hugely disappointing that the NHS and its patients are facing this action. We are deeply concerned about the distress it will cause patients, as well as the anxiety it will cause many staff who want to ensure patients are not put at risk. It is important for people to remember that if they need to see a GP urgently, they will still be seen. As ever, only call 999 or go to accident and emergency if it is an emergency.”